Roseline tosses and turns in her sleep, plagued by the same dream that has repeated every night since her encounter with Gabriel after the state qualifiers. Images of him bathed in a brilliant blue light burns into her retinas. The sensation of being cocooned in his arms brings tears to her eyes. Some part of her brain acknowledges that it is a dream, but it feels like something more—something tangible.
Blinking away sleep, Roseline groans as she sits up on the edge of her makeshift bed. She rubs her neck, feeling the familiar ache she has come to expect each morning from her lumpy mattress. She vows to go bed shopping before the week is out.
Her bedroom, if she could really call it that, is sparsely furnished. A long, solid wood slab runs the length of the far wall. A rickety stool stands under the makeshift table. On top of it lies a computer she purchased the day she arrived in Chicago. Standing in the sleazy pawnshop, Roseline had promised herself she would only use it to contact Fane in the case of an emergency, but her self-control is beginning to wane.
There is only one reason why she would give in now—Gabriel. It has been a week since they spoke at the football game and she has done her best to avoid him since then. Sneaking around behind his back is beginning to wear thin, especially when a huge part of her wants nothing more than to snatch him into the janitor’s room and kiss him until he faints, but she cannot even think about letting that happen. A relationship with a human, especially this human, is far too risky.
But that risk, the thrill of “what if,” has brought her to this moment. Staring across the room, Roseline eyes the machine that can instantly connect her with the only person who truly understands her. Fane will think she is crazy. A growing obsession with a mortal? Ludicrous. Fane would listen and try to help her, but he would also try to track her down.
“Not today,” she mutters as she slips into her robe and steps out into the hall. Her fingers trail lightly over the aged wooden banister. The stairs creak underfoot, echoing loudly through the empty house.
Stepping nimbly over the cigarette burned carpet in the living room, Roseline heads for the fridge. The heavy metal door squeals as it swings open. “Drat,” she groans, remembering that she was supposed to have gone grocery shopping.
When was that? Yesterday? The day before? Roseline rubs her palm against her forehead. The days of the past week have passed in a blur. Gabriel consumes her thoughts far more than he should and she can’t figure out why.
With a heavy sigh, Roseline heads back through the living room, not even caring to glance at the sparse boxes stacked in the corner. They are not her stuff and, from the musty odor coming from the loose lid, there is certainly nothing of interest in there.
The dining room holds the most furniture in the entire house. A painted hutch sits in the corner, layered with an inch of dust. An old wooden farmhouse table fills the rest of the room, its long benches tucked underneath. Past that, a bathroom stands off from the main hall, its pink tiles glaring obnoxiously at anyone who dares to enter the time warp.
“I really should get out today,” Roseline mumbles as she gives up her aimless wandering and heads back upstairs. Rounding the banister, she heads into one of the spare rooms. She uses this one as her makeshift closet. Designer store bags stack high in one corner, empty of their purchases. Piles of clothes, laid out in perfect condition, litter the floor. New wardrobe: check.
Sighing, Roseline grabs an outfit from the top of a pile and heads to the bathroom. Her love for all things fashion refuses to allow her to don a baseball cap so, twenty minutes later, she settles with combing her hair straight around her face to help conceal her identity. Checking one last time to make sure her makeup has helped tone down her appearance, Roseline heads out.
She is not sure where she is heading until she looks up to find that her feet have taken her right to Sadie’s doorstep. It’s only been a couple days since she was last here, although she struggles to remember why at the moment.
Movement in the upper window of the house next door catches her eye but the curtain flutters back into place before she can make out the person concealed within. Roseline frowns.
“Well hello, Rose. Did you do well on that Chem test you and Sadie studied so hard for? Sadie swears she aced it but I have my doubts.” Mrs. Hughes smiles as she opens the glass-paneled door. Her sapphire blue robe is tucked tightly around her slender figure.
“I believe I did well enough,” Roseline says, thankful for the reminder as she steps over the threshold and dips low to slip off her boots.
The scent of vanilla invades her senses. Sadie’s mom appears to have the same affinity for scents as Sadie’s does for wardrobe changes. “Sadie, Rose is here.”
Thundering footsteps race down the carpeted hall. Roseline smiles as she hears abuse slung about from upstairs. “Back off, she’s my friend.”
“How do you know she came here to see you?” William protests.
Sadie snickers as she rounds the corner. “You are so desperate.”
“Hi.” Roseline grins, amused by their state of dress. William stands in the doorway, wearing only plaid pajama bottoms. His hair is heavily tousled, sticking up in the back like a peacock. Roseline tries not to admire William’s bare chest, but it is smooth and toned, far more appealing than she would have guessed under the ratty t-shirts he loves to wear.
What amazes Roseline the most is Sadie’s transformation. Without her dark eye shadow, rocker shirts, and cut-off jeans, she actually looks lovely. “Wow, Sadie, look at you.”
Sadie rolls her eyes. “I know. I look terrible without makeup.”
“No.” She shakes her head. “You look amazing.”
“See, told you so. No one likes your Goth look.” Mrs. Hughes grins as she pokes her head into the room.
“Mom,” Sadie hisses, shooing her mother away. Mrs. Hughes takes the hint and disappears, but not before she plants a kiss on Sadie’s forehead. “She’s so embarrassing.”
Roseline smiles, wishing she could’ve had that kind of relationship with her mother. “I apologize for the early hour. I couldn’t sleep and decided to take a walk.”
William throws himself onto a leather couch. Reaching for the remote, he switches on the massive flat screen over the fireplace. He flips through several channels before settling on an animated children’s show. Roseline raises an eyebrow but Sadie just waves it off. “He’s still into cartoons. Loser.”
“I heard that,” he calls from the other side of the couch. He has sunk so low Roseline can’t see anything more than his leg slung over the end.
Sadie heads back toward the stairs. “Come on up. I gotta get dressed anyways.”
Roseline follows Sadie up to her room. Glancing toward William’s partially open door, she stiffens when she realizes the room is occupied. Nicolae has his back turned toward the door. She spies a mass of scars along his back before he rushes to pull his shirt down over his head.
When he turns toward her, his gaze is harsh. Roseline gets the “mind your own business” message loud and clear before Nicolae shuts the door in her face. She frowns and follows Sadie into her room, closing the door behind her.
“What’s with Nicolae?” she asks, watching her friend belly flop onto her bed. Roseline settles for an oversized neon pink beanbag by the window.
“What do you mean?” Sadie asks, instantly bored with the topic.
“The scars. Haven’t you noticed them before?”
Sadie sits up. “What scars?”
“On his back.” She begins to question what she saw when Sadie’s brow knits together. “You’ve never seen them?”
“Nope, but I’m not exactly trying to see him with his shirt off either.” Roseline can’t help but think that if Sadie had seen him back in Brasov she might have a different opinion of meek little Nicolae. “That guy gives me the creeps.”
Roseline nods in agreement, but she knows her reasons are much different from Sadie??
?s. “So is he still stalking you?”
“Night and day. The guy won’t leave me alone for a second. He’s always watching me.”
“I think he likes you.”
Sadie grits her teeth at the thought. “Yeah, well I’m off the market. I am officially done with boys. Besides, he’s kinda freaky, ya know? Like how he is always offering to help me out of the car or get my lunch tray? It’s almost like he’s trying to be the perfect guy.”
“Maybe I should talk to him,” Roseline offers, rising from her seat.
Sadie laughs, rolling out of bed. She grabs a rumpled towel off her computer chair, giving it a quick sniff test before shrugging and tossing it over her shoulder. “What could you possibly do to scare him off?”
Roseline grins. “You never know.”
She slips out into the hallway as soon as Sadie disappears into her bathroom. She turns and bumps straight into Nicolae.
“Do you mind?” he mutters as he bounces back against the wall. He tries to move away but Roseline’s hand lashes out, clamping tightly around his forearm. Nicolae flinches at her warm touch but says nothing. Roseline can feel his anger radiating off him.
“I thought I made myself clear the other night,” she growls in her native tongue as she pulls him close.
“Ah, there you are, Nicolae. I was beginning to wonder if you were up as well.”
Roseline instantly releases his arm as Sadie’s father exits his room at the end of the hall. “Morning, Rose. It seems I have you to thank for my family’s early rising.” Mr. Hughes yawns, plodding past them in his striped PJs and slippers. He descends a couple of steps before turning back.
“I’d forgotten that you two were from the same country. Small world, eh?”
Roseline smiles as he disappears down the stairs. She turns her attention back to Nicolae. He meets her icy glare head on. No backing down. Roseline’s lip curls into a snarl. Her mind explodes with imaginary red warning flags. Nicolae is far more than he appears, certainly not a typical school boy.
“Leave Sadie alone.”
“Or what?” Nicolae challenges. “You’ll kill me?”
“Don’t tempt me.” Roseline’s face clouds with anger. “You know I can. In fact, I think I would rather enjoy it.”
“I don’t doubt that, but I doubt you would do it here, with witnesses.” Nicolae’s smirk tightens as he takes a step toward her. “I’m not afraid of you.”
“No?” Her lips peel back over her teeth as she counters his challenge, positioning herself an inch from Nicolae’s nose. His eyes widen but he holds his ground. Roseline pauses, taking in his strong stance and the muscles rippling under his shirt. “Who are you?”
“I’m the guy that’s protecting Sadie,” he says, grinding the words out through clenched teeth.
Roseline blinks, surprised. “You think I want to hurt my friend?” Nicolae’s jaw clenches as he nods. She blows out a breath, easing back onto the pads of her feet. So that’s what his whole stalker mode is about.
“You may think you know me, but you are wrong,” Roseline says, leaning back against the wall to put space between them. “I give you my word, I would never lay a finger on Sadie.”
“Your word means nothing me,” Nicolae growls. “I will be watching you.”
He turns and steps back into his room, slamming the door in Roseline’s face. She stares at the closed door. Fear tickles her spine. Just how much does Nicolae know about her? Deciding there is nothing she can do about it, Roseline slips back down the stairs. Noticing William is still slouched in front of the TV, Roseline decides to join him.
“Budge up.” He straightens, allowing her some room. “What are you watching?”
“Phineas and Ferb. This show is awesome.”
Roseline watches for a few minutes, amused by the platypus that is a pet by day and secret agent by night. “Creative.”
“No kidding,” William nods, eyes glued to the screen. “It’s brilliant.”
“Do you watch children’s shows often?” She fights to conceal her amusement.
William switches off the TV and retracts his legs from the armrest. “Hey, I know what you’re thinking. What’s a genius like me doing watching a show like that? Well, let me tell you, missy, brainiacs need a break too, you know.”
Roseline giggles as William thrusts his thumb into his chest. “I see. Wow, I didn’t realize I was in the presence of greatness.”
William nods solemnly. “And don’t you forget it.”
“Is he trying to hit on you again?” Sadie calls as she bounces down the stairs. Her usual spiked collar has been replaced by a dog choke chain. It clangs loudly as she lands on the ground floor. She wears jeans two sizes too big, hip hugging at the waist, and a Pink Floyd t-shirt.
“Oh, not again,” William groans. “Aren’t you done with this phase yet?”
“Nope. I’m still exercising my civil rights.”
Roseline grins. “Protesting the school dress code on the weekend, too?”
“You bet.” Sadie nods, slinging herself into the armchair. “Someone has to make a statement.”
“Well, I’d say you’re covering that for the entire school,” Mrs. Hughes says as she carries a plate of freshly baked biscuits into the living room. “Hungry, Rose?”
“Yes, ma’am. I forgot to eat this morning.”
“No kidding. It’s like five AM.” Sadie groans, shielding her eyes from the bright sunshine streaming in through the bay window nearby.
“Oh, stop being such a sourpuss,” William cries, tossing a pillow at his sister. “It’s seven AM.”
“It’s a tragedy, that’s what it is,” Sadie says mournfully. “I never get out of bed before ten AM on a Saturday.”
Roseline’s brow furrows, thinking over her words. “Then why are you awake so early?” Obviously, Sadie and William were awake when she arrived. A mischievous grin spreads across Sadie’s face. She glances over at William with a conspiratorial gleam in her eye. Roseline stares at the siblings with increasing suspicion. “Alright, what’s going on?”
Ten